Valve spring retainer lock



Sept. 21, 1943. A. TOWNHILL 2,330,091

VALVE SPRING RETAINER LOCK Fild June 14, 1940 Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED s'rli'lfllfsl PA'f fifi-1v'Tfa, OFFICE YV2,330,091 [j i f VALVE SPRING RETArNER Lo'oK'f Arthurv Townhill, Cleveland, .'Ol'lio, toty ATholmpson Products Incorporated, Cleveland, hio, a corporation of Ohio Application Jurreil, 1940, serial No. 340,517

` s claims. (121.2514144) This invention relates to'valve springretainer locks or valve stem collars' as used on poppet valves in internal combustion engines, and more particularly to tapered locksfor collars made of rolled and die-formed orv stamped material.'

In the usual types of split retainer locks in use at the present time, 'peripheral beads are pro-- vided on the valve stem engaging surfaces which engage within a groove or spaced grooves in the stems of the valves. These valve locks 'are expensive to manufacture inasmuch as dies, vhaving bead grooves formed therein,A are used and experience has demonstrated that great die wear is encountered particularly along the edges of the dies where thebeads are subjected to die pressure. Furthermorethe rolling of the metal stock preliminarir to the die vor stamping` operations is expensive, all of which'adds to the cost of manufacture.

Itis, therefore, an object of the present inventionto provide a valve spring retainer lock which may be manufactured at lower than the usual present cost by minimizing die costs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tapered valve spring retainer lock of substantially uniform thickness along its length.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tapered, uniformly thick valve spring retainer lock having smooth surfaces for engaging a tapered portion on the'valve stem whereby stresses are more evenly distributed along its length.

A still further object -of this invention is to provide a Split one-piece 'or two-piece valve retainer lock which can be manufactured in quantity lots at less than the usual cost and which can be more easily applied vin position on valve stems.

Another' and still further object of this invention is to provide a valve spring retainer lock having smooth at or curved surfaces along its entire valve stem-engaging length which may be manufactured in quantity lots at a minimum of rolling, die or Stamping expense. l

The novel features believed to be characteristic of the present inventionv are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the laccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a broken elevational view of a pop- Ipet valve assembly having a valve spring and valve spring abutment plate'shown'in vertical cross section,r'etained in positionv thereon by means' of a retainer lock formedV in accordance Withthe principles of this invention;

Figure2 isr .an enlarged broken elevation View of the lowerportion of Figure 1 showing the spring abutment plate in vertical crosssection; 1

Figure/3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially in the/'plane indicated by the line III-III of Figure 2; '5* l Figure liis a top plan View of a split one-piece retainer lock showing its shape before beingbent around theftapered groovetprovidedfon the valve stem;

Figure 5 isa view similar tol Figure 2 illustrating a modified form of.' retainer' lock;

Figurejis'a View similar to Figure 2 illustrating a `modified=form ofi retainer lock andspring kabutmentplate;-'*- f Figure 'ris' avi'ew similari@ Flgurez illustrat- 'in g"'a universaljoint type of 'retainer lock em'- bodyingltl'ie features of' the present invention;

Figure 8'is`a view similar to Figuref2 showing Eanother modified form of retainerlock and abut- Amentplate;

" Figure 9 isa View similar to Figure 2 illustratingaser'rii-circular retainer lock embodying the principles of-this invention;` v

FigurelO is a'viewsimilarto Figure 'l illustrating anotherform of' universal joint type of retainerlookand', 1

Figure llfisafragmentary cross-sectional View taken substantially in the 'plane indicated'byf'the 'line.X.'[;XIf of Figure 10.

The valve structure illustrated in Figure l comprises a head I5 and a generally cylindrical-stem "IB, A taperedl annulargroove l1 is formed in the cylindrical portion of the-stem adj'acentits free end. It-.is to be noted that only one of such groovesis providedv on the valve stem."

Asmore clearly shown in Figure 2,'the'annular grooveull is tapered'inwardly' toward thefhead end of the'v'alve'adterminates-in a fillet I8.

A retainer lock or locking bush I9'substantial- 1y surrounds the valve'stem at its groovediportion. As shown-in Figure 3, the locking"bush.I9 comprises`two similar parts or halves lila,A and |911 which'together constitute the split retainer lock.` Inf assembled position, the longitudinal edgesfo'f the halves-'19a' and |=Sb are slightly spaced apart. One of the'half-portions' |911, illustrated in 'Figure 2', is shown as being substantially uniform in thicknesswith its inner rsurface 20f`ormed conical in` shape to complemental-' ly engage lthe surfaces of the tapered groove I1 Vandv the lilll'et- I Bif The upper end of the split lock is shaped as at 2l to seat against the smooth cylindrical surface of the stem I6 adjacent the groove llet I8. The outer surface 22 of the lock is inclined, or conical shaped, to cooperate with an inclined, or conical shaped, opening 23 in the Valve spring abutment plate 24.

The abutment plate 24 is provided, outwardly of the centraLinclnedopeningl,.with..a.bu1ged portion or rib 25 which receives .fan 4en d of the valve spring 26 to center the spring on the plate and thus maintain it in an operative position.`

When the parts are assembled as illustrated'in Figure 1, compression of the coil spring :iB servesj to maintain the split locking bush I9 inrtight gripping engagement of the,groen/,edA ,portionyo'f j. the valve stem. This tight gripping engagementl .fgitudinal .edges 3.9 and ci! :apart .-suiiciently to .y

be :inserted Aarmirni 'the Naive :stem :[6. 'Arlongirtudinallv extending granite or score dine ,d2 provided along the inner surface of the lookl 'diametrically'rcppcsite the aefiees .i'illy and i3d rior the nurposezoffallowingtthe lk ttoinersnreadzand an inwardly .extending flange 38.

clamped around the 'valve .stem :Withouti'conceni.

:tr-.ating :the ifiexing :Stresses :in :such ra rmanner as to result in wall deformation fm'` :fracture Alternativelmrthelockiz naniinitially rbeffermed -in :the fopen'fcr ,foutwafrdty .bant` condition shown in Iiigureffi ftherebyeliminating the necessitmior :opening ornutwardlyrbcndingnperation. 1

'.flihe iformation Yof retainerrlucksfhaumasmaoth surfaces effects the obvious advantages-infmanu-v -facture1 of permitting the fstcckto be rolled, dieformed or estamned at rmuch `:less expense ethan the formation of locks-hatingheadsthereon.4 1t -has :further been freund .en examination that a retainer 'lock fconstruntedin a :marmer es 12120- vided herein shows less stress concentratinnrthan fdo locks :of fthe xusual mr :present (construction.

.=Eurthermore', l'a better :t results, rensefnfiassmnbly is facilitated, and there '.-is :practically frm -chance Yfor inaccurany rarising ifflmn fsllohmonrstructon.' y

It hasibeen ifound fthatthemanuiacture of ra flock fas described dicrein :reduces zthe swear :to fa fccnsiderahle extent ilbis iis due on :the Pfull .sur-

face engagement-'shetwaen the :look :and `:the rgroovedstem. v l

,Additional .modified affirms ,-of :10.615, :abutment plateand malve fstem nonstructi l gareillustrated'iniliguuestmll f fligure 5 :the rassemblivs :the .same-as shown in augure izmith #the 'exception that the valve `lock :halff portion 33, of which 1thereare..tWQ,.-h&s :the .same :length :asilihe Width auf fthefbfpared groove 417 and thejzunner Eulen :Qf: me Spring all.

:abutment :plate 23m eisiflush with the uppcrzend -otf .the locks-. I frdesred; :.thewnlveileck i3 may be fshaped .fto diaper .fslilfltlyrll {thickness-:i5 fa ldownward direction.- 'llhlstm'wisnnlividnthe lsembler l.to dino :its @mener fnaition should it Y- .brateeimoperatinu Asishown in Fisurezfrithewalre lock maifunor tion 34, of which there are two, is shaped similarly to the lock 19a with the exception that its lower extremity 35 extends beyond the edge of the tapered groove l'l to embrace the cylindrical surface of the stem adjacent to the groove. The abutment plate 24h has the same general contour as the abutment plate 24a. The Wall of the ,insiderconical opening .35 orsaid plate engages the :outer :.complementa'l surface jtof the lock 34 and terminates in a cylindricalbore 31.

Figure 8 illustrates an abutment plate 24o formed similarly to the plate 24a with the exfceptionithatiit terminates at its upper end in The engage- -ment .between v'the ange 38 and the top por- `tions.o`f `tl'iejlock 33 tends to still further distribute operating stresses.

Figure L9 :illustrates a modied assembly in whichthe valve stem I-Ba is provided with a tapered groove 39 extending but half-Way around :the ',valve stem. l fone-mince zsemi-mircular 'lock :hasta wall of unifnmnthickness alnrrgiits ,flcngth 1in .any ;given ,plane :passing through :its axis. :Its inner rand router-surfaces fit! Land 442, respectively, fslant' in angular :relation to :its ilonfgitudinal vaxis rior 'ncmplementally aengaging lthe taperesurface nfthe slut 3B :and lthesinnerssurifa'ce 141 fxthezreiaineraplate''. ,'llhe :lookill also rtaperszcircumferentiallyzeaohmayxfromiitsthick- 'est centralrpoirtion. i

. `lhesfalve spring rabutment rplatefdfhasfa neck portioniil that :is gpemtly:.cy'lindrinal,A as atdt, :for engagement-Withithexsmoothgportion of .the stem akazand partly iconical, las eatf, iorfcomplementallynngaging:thelontonsurrace Mfof the flockiAll. i i :Inrthis modiedfassembl-ythe llnckf4frestricts .relative :endwise ymovement and :relative .rotative :movement between the :abutment plate and fthe valve stem. i i

Figures 7 and l0 illustrate@,modiedtassembly of a1limited universal iioint type. rllnigure A"i, :the :springm'outment :plate-13 is [provided with .a central `semihemispherical :socket r4.9 -texrminath :ing adjacent 'the cylindrical portion ofthe iin- .sented nvalve'stem m6 adjacent the zllet M2. A

two-pieceiizalve :lock :of Whichfonly the half-portomw isiillustrated,|is insertedaetweentthesemi- .hemigpherical socket -49 :and :the itapered lgroove .217.. The melf-.lock :55 .is provided '.with an outer :segmental .spherical ,-suuiace t5! .complemental in shape Ito Vthe upper )portionwnf the rinner fcurved :surface 5522,01 the `isemi-lhemispheriicd socket 49. .'lihefirmerssurface 53 :of the .look .iii :is .shaped rto .complementallyngage thesuriaceiof the rtapered :annulagrgigroovfe l 17.. Thefopeningfll atithertopvof the .socket -49 :and through which the -valve stern I6 is inserted, permits a slight angular movement `oisthe .valvefrelative to lthefabutmnnt plate. iI'he :slight iuniversal joint action .-in theeassembly per- :mits the .valve 4to oscillate suuiently -to limi its -;pqpor=seat underthe ,axial thrust of the spring 2l Another modiedr'assembly of thelimited universal fjoint vtype is iillustrated in .Figures 10 and lil. This :assembly permits i a much [greater oscilllation 'of the :valve ithan in. -the Iassembly illus- .trateddn Figure i7. illnfthis form,ra two-piecelocl: *having half-portions f55a and :Elib lare `shaped lsimilarrlyto the `valve 'lock w33 illustratedfin :Fig- .ureand :when .assembledas shownin r"Figure -1/1, .provide spaces 6B between :their longitudinal edges. A one-piece bearing for fco'lla-r rifis Ipro- 4`vided with la conical @inner surface 5.1 and la seg- ;mental spherical outer .surface i58. The Jinner :surface 57 complementally'engngzes t-lilei'onter.sur

faces of the lock half-portions 55a and 55h while the curved outer surface 58 complementally engages an inner curved surface 59 provided in the socket portion 6I] of the abutment plate 6I. At its upper end, the socket 60 terminates in an enlarged opening 62 Whose edges are in relatively Widely spaced relation from the cylindrical surface of the stem I6.

This assembly permits a greater range of oscillation of the valve than in the assembly illustrated in Figure 7 by reason of the more Widely spaced relation between the edges of the opening 62 and the cylindrical surfaces of the valve stem I6. In all other respects, the assemblies illustrated in Figures '7, 10 and 11 operate in the same manner as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2` described previously herein.

The assemblies illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 5 are the preferred forms of the present invention.

Figures 1 to 3 and 5 through 11 illustrate the case of a two-piece lock. It is to be understood, however, that a one-piece lock shaped in the manner as illustrated in Figure 4 may also be used in these assemblies.

From the foregoing description it Will be observed that a valve, retainer lock and spring abutment plate assembly has been provided which is more positive in operation, of longer life', and of cheaper construction than the usual or presently used assemblies of a similar type. This is accomplished by the use of wide smooth surfaces instead of the narrow beads or grooves of the usual retainer lock elements.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been illustrated, it will, of course, be understood that the invention should not be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and, therefore, it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A valve spring retainer lock for a valve assembly comprising a split member having a smooth conical outer surface along its entire length, an intermediate smooth conical inner surface concentric with said outer surface, and a cylindrical inner surface at each end of said lock adjacent said intermediate conical inner surface, one of said cylindrical inner surfaces and said conical inner surface being joined by a curved surface and the other of said cylindrical inner surfaces and said conical inner surface being joined at a line edge.

2. A valve spring retainer lock for avalve assembly comprising a split member having` smooth inner and outer conical surfaces in concentric equi-spaced relation, said inner conical surface extending along an intermediate portion of the member, and a cylindrical inner surface at each end of said member, one of said cylindrical inner surfaces and said conical inner surface being joined by a curved surface and the other of said cylindrical inner surfaces and said conical inner surface being joined at a line edge.

3. In a valvevassembly including a valve having a smooth stem of substantially uniform diameter along its length with an annular groove adjacent its free end and tapered away from said end, said groove being joined at one end ythereof with the smooth surface of said stem by. a line edge and being joined at rits other end with the smooth surface of said stem by a llet, and a valve spring abutment plate disposed about said grooved stem portion and having a lared inner surface concentric with and parallel to the tapered groove on said stem, the combination of a valve spring retainer lock interposed between said valve stem and said abutment plate comprising a split member having an inner surface complemental to said valve stem along the portion thereof including the annular groove and the stem surfaces adjacent both ends of the groove and an outer conical surface for seating along the tapered inner surface of said abutment plate. I

ARTHUR TOWNHJLL. 

